Irishtown, Dublin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Irishtown An Baile Gaelach
Suburb
Irishtown Nature Park
Irishtown Location in Ireland
Country	Ireland
Province	Leinster
County	Dublin city
Time zone	UTC+0 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-1 (IST (WEST))
Eircode (Routing Key)	D04
Area code(s)	01 (+3531)
Irish Grid Reference	O190325

Irishtown (which means An Baile Gaelach in Irish) is a lively neighborhood located inside Dublin, Ireland. It sits on the south side of the River Liffey. To its north is Ringsend, and to its south is Sandymount. The River Dodder flows to its east.

History of Irishtown

Irishtown grew up just outside the old city walls of Dublin. It was about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) east of the medieval city. Dublin was first settled by Vikings. Later, in 1171, an Anglo-Norman army took control. This made Dublin a main center for English rule in Ireland.

Early Days and Irish People

The native Gaelic Irish people were often seen as outsiders in Dublin. This was because clans like the O'Byrne and O'Toole from the nearby Wicklow Mountains often raided Dublin. By the 1400s, many Irish people had moved into the city. This made the English rulers worried that English language and culture would become less common.

Around 1454, the Irish people living inside Dublin were asked to leave the main city. This was part of rules called the Statutes of Kilkenny. Irish traders were only allowed to come into the city during the day to do business. When the day was over, they had to leave. They would set up camp in the area that became known as "the Irishtown."

Later History and Traditions

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Irishtown was famous for the Waxies' Dargle. This was a fun yearly outing for Dublin cobblers (shoemakers), who were called "waxies." A well-known folk song still tells the story of this event.

Irishtown became part of the Pembroke Township in 1863. Pembroke was later made an urban district in 1899. Finally, in 1930, it became part of Dublin city.

Irishtown Nature Park

Irishtown Nature Park is a lovely small park in the area. It has walking trails that stretch for several kilometers along the Poolbeg Peninsula. It's a great place to enjoy nature and get some fresh air.

Images for kids

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  Map showing Irishtown with Ringsend and Sandymount, highlighting notable buildings.

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  The Poolbeg Power Station as seen from Irishtown Nature Park.